Mallards Game Day

Published on December 11, 2015 under ECHL (ECHL)
Quad City Mallards News Release


Mallards Notes

Last Game

Mike Monfredo scored at 2:50 of overtime to give the Mallards a come-from-behind 6-5 victory over the host Evansville IceMen Sunday night.

Tops

The Mallards lead the second place Cincinnati Cyclones by three points in the race for the top spot in the ECHL's Midwest Division. The Cyclones have three games in hand on the Mallards.

Streaking

The Mallards have won five straight games for the first time since they put together a five-game Central Hockey League winning streak between December 21 and December 30, 2013. The Mallards last strung together six consecutive victories when they won the final six games of the 2005-06 United Hockey League regular season between April 5 and April 15, 2006.

Overtime

The Mallards have gone to overtime in three straight games, sandwiching Sunday's sudden death win in Evansville and a 3-2 overtime victory over Indy on November 29 around last Tuesday's 2-1 shootout defeat of Cincinnati. The Mallards' recent run of success comes after they fell the first three times they were tied after sixty minutes and improves their record to 3-3 when deadlocked at the end of regulation: 2-1 in games settled in overtime and 1-2 in games decided in the shootout.

Comeback Kids

The Mallards rallied from a 5-2 third period deficit to win Sunday. Sunday marked the first time the Mallards have come back to win after trailing by three goals since they erased a 3-0 Tulsa lead on the way to a 4-3 CHL victory over the Oilers on November 24, 2012. Sunday's comeback was the Mallards' second rally from a third period deficit of at least two goals in their last three games. They defeated Indy November 29 after finding themselves behind 2-0 in the final minute of regulation. The Mallards have trailed at some point in six of their last eight victories.

Respite

Sunday's game was the Mallards' only action in a nine day stretch that follows a run during which the Mallards played five times in seven days and eight times in 12 days.

Road To Recovery

The Mallards have won back-to-back road games for the first time this season after matching a club record by going winless (0-6-2) in their prior eight away tilts.

Home Sweet Home

The Mallards have won eight straight home games and are unbeaten in regulation (10-0-1) in 11 home games since dropping their home opener October 23 against Tulsa. The Mallards are three wins away from the team record set when they won 11 straight UHL games at home between January 25 and February 29, 2004. Their current home regulation unbeaten streak is seven games shy of the club record set when they went 18 home games (15-0-3) without a regulation defeat between January 10 and March 13, 2004. The Mallards' home regulation unbeaten streak is also the longest such run in the ECHL this season while their home winning streak is tied for longest in the league this year.

Perfect 10

The Mallards lead the ECHL in home wins (10).

Sunday Fun Day

By starting the week with victory over Evansville, the Mallards improved to 5-0-0 on Sundays this season.

Tight

The Mallards have played- and won- four straight one-goal games.

Division

The Mallards have won their last five games against Midwest Division opponents and are now 6-3-0 against division foes. Sunday's game was the Mallards' fourth straight against a fellow Midwest Division club.

High Five

The Mallards matched a season high by giving up five goals Sunday.

Shooting Gallery

The Mallards set season highs Sunday by allowing 44 shots for the game and 19 in the second period alone.

Bustin' Loose

The Mallards ripped off six goals Sunday after scoring three or fewer in each of their prior seven games.

O from D

Defensemen (Alex Gudbranson, Guillaume Gelinas and Monfredo) scored the Mallards' final three goals Sunday. Blue liners have also provided five of the club's last eight (non-shootout) goals overall.

Player of the Week

Monfredo was named Sher-Wood Hockey ECHL Player of the Week for the period from November 30 through December 6 after producing a goal and three assists in two games.

Between the Pipes

Steve Michalek is on a five-game winning streak during which he has posted a 2.17 goals against average and a .937 save percentage.

Debut

Matt Carey scored and added an assist while making his Mallard debut Sunday.

Arch Madness

With an assist Sunday Olivier Archambault became the first Mallard to reach 20 points this season.

Blue Line

After scoring and adding two assists Sunday, Monfredo is now tied for second among ECHL defensemen in assists (15), tied for third among blue liners in points (18) and tied for sixth overall in assists. Gelinas is tied for seventh among defensemen in points (15).

Rook

Matt Neal is tied for seventh in the league in plus/minus rating (+13), is tied for fourth among ECHL rookies in goals (9) and ranks sixth among rookies in points (18).

Special Teams

The Mallards Sunday scored two power play goals (on five opportunities) for the fifth time this season to climb to third (22.8 percent) in the ECHL on the man advantage. The Mallards have killed off their opponents' last 11 power plays and 21 of their foes' last 22 man advantages and now rank ninth in the league in penalty killing (84.5 percent).

Head to Head

Tonight's night's game is the first of six between the Mallards and Rush this season. This trip is the Mallards' only visit to Rapid City this year. The final four games of the season series will be played at the iWireless Center. The Mallards last season went 8-4-1 against the Rush and 4-3-0 in Rapid City. All-time the Mallards are 21-11-3 against the Rush and 9-7-2 at Rushmore Plaza Civic Center. In addition, the Mallards and Rush met in seven-game first round playoff series each of the last two springs. The Rush came out on top in the opening round of the 2015 ECHL playoffs after the Mallards edged Rapid City in the first round of the 2014 CHL postseason.

Milestones

Darren McMillan Sunday recorded his one hundredth point as a Mallard...Carey Sunday recorded his first ECHL goal and assist while making his Mallard debut...Anthony Collins has played 99 career ECHL games and has recorded 98 penalty minutes as a Mallard...Monfredo has 98 career points...Archambault has played 97 career games.

Ins and Outs

Raphael Bussieres was reassigned to the Mallards by the AHL's Iowa Wild December 5...Carey was assigned to the Mallards by Iowa December 3...Tanner Eberle (lower body) missed the Mallards' December 6 game...Miles Koules (upper body) has missed the Mallards' last three games...Kevin Henderson (upper body) has missed the Mallards' last five games.

Friday, December 11, 8:05 p.m. CST

Quad City Mallards vs. Rapid City Rush

Rushmore Plaza Civic Center

Watch: ECHL.TV

Listen: Fox Sports Radio 1230

Quad City

13-7-3, 29 points

1st place, Midwest Division

Coach: Terry Ruskowski

Rapid City

11-7-4, 24 points

2nd place, West Division

Coach: Joe Ferras

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ECHL Stories from December 11, 2015


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